Statues of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II toppled in Canada

Many cities scrapped Canada Day events as scandal over Indigenous children made them confront their colonial history.

Protesters in the Canadian city of Winnipeg have toppled statues of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II in the face of growing anger over the discovery of the remains of hundreds of children in unmarked graves at former Indigenous schools. Crowds chanted “no pride in genocide” before pulling down the statues of the monarchs on Canada Day on Thursday, when traditionally celebrations take place across the country. This year, however, many cities scrapped events as the scandal over the Indigenous children made Canadians confront their colonial history. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the day would be “a time for reflection”.